After nine months, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has finally assigned a case number to the application filed on behalf of the Johansson family. A joint application by HSLDA and the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), the attorneys working on the case were pleased to receive acknowledgment of the case by the ECHR.

Michael Donnelly, HSLDA’s Director of International Relations, hopes that the Johansson's case will now move forward.

“The ECHR is the Johansson’s only remaining recourse, since their case has been heard at every level of the Swedish court system,” Donnelly said. “It was strange that the court received and followed up on complaints that we sent in the last six months, but had not responded to our application originally filed in June 2010. We are glad to see the court has finally assigned a case number.”

Donnelly noted that letters to the ECHR are no longer needed.

“The Johanssons are grateful to all who responded to our letter-writing campaign and petitioned the ECHR. At this time, letters to the court are no longer needed.”